Along the road's from Heiwa, travelers noted a young man in simple clothign and a black traveling claok with a fine looking blade at the back of his obi traveling along as the sun beagn to set. A few of them warned him that the way he was going was towards the wilderness, where the demons lurked and would pray upon a traveler, even with a sword. The traveler simply smiled and continued on his way, asking a few tiems if a group of heroes had gone that way. Upon getting a "yes" answer from soemone, he started to follow the path until he was in the thick of wilderness. He wandered through the serene setting, tall grass, tall trees with a few birds, water flowing down streams, remarking that it seemed as though this was a palce untouched by demon and man altogether. As he walked, he came across certain areas though that made him pause and look, then move on. These places where areas where nothing grew, leaving outlines of where a demon had been felled, with foot marks in mud and sword cuts on trees or in the ground. Genji knew that the heroes had gone this way, it didnt require much intuition to figure that out. Besides that, he had done some information gathering before heading this way. The directions he had been given were vague, but he was patient and would wander until he found the people he was searching for.After a few good hours of walking in the wake of the heroes, Genji crouched to check the ground, and heard a noise from a bush. He paused, and tensed his muscles for a swift movement, a punch to defend himself from the demon...

...and comes face to face with a peasant, hitching his trousers up from urinating in the bush. He freezes, a stunned look on his face, hands on his waistband holding the trousers up. Tucked into his sash is a beautiful sword - a sword a samurai would kill for, let alone a peasant who isn't allowed to be armed. He stares straight at Genji and his raised fist, stammering...

Genji stares at the peasant for a moment then chokes with laughter, laughing at the strange situation of meeting a peasant out in the wilderness. He noticed the sword, comparing it to his own sword and naturally assumed his, gifted from the lord of Kousen, would be far finer, with a natural sense of samurai arrogance.And what would a peasant be doing with a warriors blade so far away from home? Could you perhaaps be a thief, having stolen a sword and fled?Genji rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking the young man up and down.

Mirya looks around, but everyone appears occupied with tasks of their own. Grimacing with the pain she uses a nearby tree to pull herself to her feet. Leaning heavily on her staff she limps away from the others, deciding to seek a quiet place to meditate.

Genji stares at the sword and reaches a hand out, gently lifting it from the peasant to examine it. He couldnt deny it, it was a VERY well amde blade. How someone could have gifted a peasant who looked a little in over his head with it, he had no idea. Lightly palcing it back in Shuuya's hands, he thought about the situation. After a rather uneasy moment of silence, he spoke again:Releaving your self is one thing, but out here? In demon lands? he chuckled to himself, rather thoughtfully and went on: And by a gift, do you eman some one just happened to give you such a fine blade as to put my own to disgrace if compared to your own? He patted Ying at his back, obviously amazed at the peasant in all most all ways by the peculiarity of the scene.

Mirya pauses; seeing what appears to be a break in the trees ahead. She limps closer, wincing with every step, but biting her lip to avoid crying out in pain. I am strong" she tells herself under her breath and grits her teeth. Just before reaching the edge of the trees she hears voices ahead and hesitates, curious, but not sure if it is safe to continue.

Every sense alert in the thick of the wilds, Genji reacts to the sounds of something moving...again...by placing himself in front of the young man, adopting a crouching stance for a high kick. However, when nothing happens for a moment or two, he seems a little disappointed, and tilts his head to Shuuya, expectantly.

Mirya's curiosity gets the better of her. Telling herself that if there IS danger, the others should know, she slowly and painfully makes her way to the edge of the trees. Pushing aside a branch, she looks cautiously into the clearing to see who, or what, is there.

As Genji takes the blade from Shuuya, he hears a voice in his head, pulsing with power.

Return me to Shuuya, quickly, before it is to late!

Shuuya sates at Genji, and as the sword is taken from him, his eyes flash a dark red, and his hand reaches up behind him, to another sword, this one much more sinister looking, though still beautiful, and he strains, trying not to draw it.

Genji hands the blade back to Shuuya, a bit shocked, and returning it very quickly. He leaps back about five feet and takes his low stance.What in the world are you, demon?Before he can do anything, Genji sudenly freezes, and is sent into a fit of coughing. He drops to his knees in the coughing fit, coughing up blood, before wheezing and trying to stand again.

Stunned at the sight of Genji, but knowing full well the dangers of taking the sword from Shuuya, Mirya cries out in warning, but too late. Her relief as Genji hands back the weapon turns to dismay as she sees him fall to his knees. She tries to hurry to him, but her wounded leg gives way beneath her and she falls just inside the clearing, unable to suppress a cry of pain as she lands heavily, her weapon falling beside her.

As Genji's coughing fit resides, he register's Mirya, and glaces her way. The moment he see's her, he forgets about Shuuya and the demon he could be and leaps over to her, helping her up. He smiles pleasently as he does so.We meet again little girl. A pleasure to see you, even if in the strangest of circumstances...His eyes flicker to Shuuya and back to Mirya, noting her wounded leg, and his expression turns to worry...

As Shuuya is handed back the sword, the other, black red sword swings downwards as if to try and kill Genji. It is blocked by the golden white sword in his other hand, drawing it from it's scabbard and screaming in one fluid motion:

Kaihen Ji Shiken-zu!

He wars with himself, whilst Genji coughs, and Mirya falls, until finally managing to sheath the black sword again. He turns to Mirya, and speaks in a western accent.

"Mirya, are you okay?"

Looking at him now, Genji can see he is coated in two layers of leather armour, these radiate with a white light, a star motiff clearly viable. His peasant robes replaced with silk kimonos, white with kanji flowing over them.

Genji, strangely enough, ignores the changes to Shuuya, probably more focused upon the friendly face than demons changing into...whatever he is now. He carefully helps Mirya to stand and adresses her more politely than before.Mirya-dono, you need rest, time to heal. He whispers to her: Time to use that gift of yours? Or have you lost this ability over time now?